Speaking at Silverstone, Christian Horner, the head of Red Bull Racing, stated that the team must be mentally prepared for a future without Max Verstappen. He suggested this could happen as early as next year or at some point later in the current decade.
Verstappen`s future has been a dominant topic in Formula 1 discussions for several weeks. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has openly expressed his interest in signing the Dutch driver. Verstappen`s current contract includes a clause that could allow him to leave for the following year if he is outside the top three in the championship standings entering the August summer break.
Currently, Verstappen is placed third, holding a slim nine-point lead over Mercedes` George Russell. Russell`s contract discussions are reportedly paused pending resolution of the situation surrounding Verstappen.
Speaking on Friday before the British Grand Prix, Horner again dismissed the speculation as “noise,” stating, “Everyone understands our position clearly. Max has been with Red Bull since the very beginning of his career. All his success has been achieved in Red Bull Racing cars. He is a vital part of our team and has significant trust in the team and those around him.”
“I believe we are all quite comfortable with our current standing and the situation. While you cannot control the narratives created by others, internally, we know exactly where things stand.”
However, Horner offered an intriguing glimpse into his current mindset, indicating that he has indeed considered a future where the four-time world champion is no longer with the team.
“Max is a core member of our team, having been with us for nearly 10 years now. Our intention is absolutely to continue this partnership,” Horner commented. “But eventually, whether it`s next year or the year after, there will be a time when Max is no longer at Red Bull.”
“You must always keep this in perspective. The team must constantly look ahead and invest in the future. So, hopefully, that day is several years away, but you can never be certain. We are continuously investing in young talent. We are always creating opportunities, as we did today with Arvid Lindblad [who participated in place of Yuki Tsunoda in the first practice session], to identify the next generation coming through. Because one certainty in this industry is that nothing ever stays the same.”
Verstappen`s contract with Red Bull extends until the end of 2028. However, when questioned on Thursday, he avoided multiple chances to definitively confirm his presence with the team next year, remaining generally reserved on the topic of his future.
Meanwhile, Russell has expressed confidence in securing an extension with Mercedes and has repeatedly stated that he has not engaged in discussions with any other teams regarding next year.
When asked if Russell might be considered a backup plan for Red Bull should Verstappen depart, Horner responded, “It`s surprising that George is still reportedly available. We haven`t had any discussions with George, so he must be quite confident about remaining where he is. However, we possess depth and strength within our team. We have the Racing Bulls team and drivers like Arvid Lindblad.”
“The year 2026 is poised to be a transformative one. It marks the most significant rule change for Formula 1, and frankly, no one can predict with certainty what the competitive hierarchy will be. Therefore, there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding 2026, and we will only gain a clear picture of the pecking order around this time next year. There are no guarantees that moving to a Mercedes car would automatically represent a better prospect.”
The significant rule changes planned for 2026, impacting both aerodynamics and engines, are precisely what makes Verstappen`s situation less certain than it might otherwise appear.
Essentially, every team is embarking on a completely new project, making any predictions about the competitive landscape at this stage impossible.
Red Bull is concluding its championship-winning partnership with Honda and will begin producing engines from its facility in Milton Keynes.
Honda will partner with Aston Martin, a team recently bolstered by the arrival of former Red Bull designer Adrian Newey. Many observers in the paddock anticipate that Mercedes` engine will be the most powerful next season.
However, engine strength alone is not a guarantee of success. Mercedes is currently being outperformed by its own engine customer team, McLaren, who hold comfortable leads in both championships.
Red Bull could be forgiven for experiencing a sense of déjà vu regarding the potential departure of a four-time world champion. In 2015, Sebastian Vettel left for Ferrari after struggling in 2014 to replicate the dominance that brought him four consecutive titles.
While Horner acknowledged similarities, he emphasized Red Bull`s conviction that their new project will eventually be a formidable force, even if immediate success in 2026 is not guaranteed.
“Sebastian departed after a significant regulatory change. In 2014, the Mercedes engine vastly superior to everyone else`s. He received an incredibly attractive offer from Ferrari and decided that was his future path. I recall [Red Bull founder] Dietrich Mateschitz telling me at the time that we didn`t need the best driver if we didn`t have the best car at that juncture,” Horner reflected.
“It`s about building a team… sport operates in cycles. We`ve enjoyed two incredibly successful periods in Formula 1, and our ambition is to build towards the next one. Naturally, we hope this will be with Max, but we understand the significant pressure involved next year as we debut as a new power unit manufacturer. The challenge is immense, but we have an exceptionally capable group of people.”
“We have invested significantly and cultivated a strong culture within the team. And, who knows? Expecting us to be ahead of Mercedes next year would be quite embarrassing for Mercedes or any other manufacturer if we were. But I believe we will be in a competitive position, perhaps even relative to our current standing against other power unit suppliers today.”
“I think there`s everything to compete for. What`s truly beneficial is having everything under one roof – the chassis engineers working closely with the power unit engineers. This aspect should not be underestimated, particularly concerning packaging. The ability for these groups to communicate and collaborate directly over a coffee within the same facility is invaluable, and that will yield dividends.”
“Perhaps the payoff won`t be immediate in 2026, but certainly in 2027, 2028, and beyond. In the long term for Red Bull, this is unequivocally the right approach.”
Dominic Ashworth